Visualization

by Philip Sherman

 

How can I "visualize" something into my world?

 

 

 

Visualization has become quite popular recently as a way in which a person can supposedly manifest something simply by picturing it in their mind. Some people think that visualization is a powerful technique. Others might say that it is just silly hocus-pocus or nothing more than a pseudo-science based on random chance and pure luck. In this blog I would like to briefly describe my own personal experiences with visualization: how to visualize, what to do during the waiting time, and then discuss some possible reasons why visualization has seemed to work in surprisingly good ways for me.

 

 

What is real?

 

Is a thought any more or less real than something that you can actually see, touch or hear? Well, consider this:

Imagine going to a wonderfully fragrant lemon tree orchard in the country and plucking a giant, ripe, yellow lemon off a lemon tree. You then slice it in half, and excitedly squeeze all of that slightly sweet and sour, tangy lemon juice straight from that golden yellow lemon right into your mouth, drop by bitterly delicious, lemony drop.

If you are like most people, probably your mouth has started to become quite watery and wet. The only thing that you have done is read some descriptive words and mentally re-created the image, fragrance, and uniquely refreshing taste of a lemon all through the powers of your magnificent mind. In reality you have not even touched or tasted a real lemon at all. This phenomenon by itself is really quite remarkable and even somewhat mysterious when you really start to think about it. Are there any actual limits to what we can imagine, visualize, and create in our mind? 

 

Images and thoughts can be just as real to us in a sense as tangible objects. The actual meaning of “real” depends upon our perspective, how we think, react, and interpret something in our mind. The answer to the question “What is real?” is indeed a very relative thing.

There are many philosophical, scientific and spiritual teachings that attempt to define reality, but I think the only thing necessary to understand for right now is that our brains have a difficult time in separating seemingly intangible thoughts from real, physical things. How many times have you had a dream that just seemed so real, that you were actually surprised, and perhaps even a little relieved, when you finally woke up? Creative imagination and the power of visualization is not very well understood, but fortunately for us, a deep understanding as to why visualization works is not necessary. This blog will primarily discuss in simpler, more practical terms how to visualize and manifest something into your life, rather than contemplate and theorize on the possible reasons why visualization apparently works. 

 

"Our subconscious minds have no sense of humor, play no jokes and cannot tell the difference between reality and an imagined thought or image. What we continually think about eventually will manifest in our lives."

~Robert Collier

 

 

 

Visualization Process

 

I think that the answer to the question, “How can I effectively visualize?” is similar to the question, “How can I effectively write a story?” or “How can I effectively paint a picture?” All of these tasks require some similar, specific steps that I will attempt to describe and outline below:

 

Clear your mind.

Relax your body and quiet your mind so that you can clearly focus upon what you would like to visualize and create. Turn off all of your electronic gadgets and try as best as you can to get away from all of the daily noise and distractions of life. Go to a quiet place where you will not be disturbed, and breath in a calm and relaxed way while focusing on feelings of happiness and peace. I have found that visualization is far more difficult if you are worried, upset, sleepy, hungry, feeling desperate, or just in a bad mood. Clear your mind and relax your body before you begin to visualize. This will allow higher, inspiring things, as well as new, innovative strategies and approaches related to your goals to freely flow and float into your mind.

 

Align your dreams with your true self.

In order for visualization to effectively work, you should make sure that whatever you are wishing for feels honest, true, and right. The feelings behind your thoughts and images are more important than the actual thoughts or images themselves. Without generating some powerful feelings and a sense of deep confidence and belief from within your own heart, visualization and manifestation of something can be very difficult to achieve. Focus more upon your underlying feelings and reasons for wishing for whatever you want, rather than just simply focusing on the outcome or object that you would like to bring into your life.

 

Here is a basic checklist of some points to consider before continuing further with these visualization exercises:

• Will getting this wish truly contribute to my own personal happiness and development, and also positively contribute to other people in some way?

• Is this wish in alignment with who I really am and what I ultimately want to be?

• Do I fully understand my innermost feelings, motivations, and reasons why I am wishing for this?

• Will I feel proud of myself once this wish of mine comes true?

 

If your answers to any of the above questions is “no” or “I’m not sure,” it might be better to wait or perhaps focus your visualizing efforts on something else that feels better and more in-line with who you are in life right now. You don’t want to run the risk of self-sabotaging yourself by visualizing and wishing for something that is not really in good alignment with who you currently are.

 

You are going to have to judge and approve of your own goals from within your own heart and mind before you can ever hope to achieve them in the outer world. If something just doesn’t feel right to you, it is going to be very difficult for you to effectively do, accomplish, or be that thing in the world that we can all see on the outside. For example:

You would like to live in a five-million dollar house, but right now, in your heart of hearts, you don’t really think that you have contributed or done enough in life to deserve to live in such a gorgeous home. You might jokingly say that you would like to live in such a house, but deep down inside, you don't feel that it is at all possible, realistic, or even "right." More likely than not, you will not be able to create the necessary energy, connections or circumstances for getting or moving into that house. For whatever reason, you may deep down simply not feel that you are deserving, or that it is right for you at this particular time and stage of development in your life. In order to be able to comfortably move into a five-million dollar house, you are going to have to create at the very least a five-million dollar self-image and mindset for yourself.

 

Once you can change your self-image and beliefs, clear those blockages, become bigger as a person, and feel that it is perfectly natural and right for you to do or get whatever it is that you want, then the easier and more likely it is that you will actually be able to get whatever it is that you seek. If we stumble into something magnificent or great through luck or random chance without feeling that we really deserve it or that this is something that we should naturally have, many times we will self-sabotage ourselves to the point where we just as quickly lose it, or subconsciously look for ways to push it away. This, in a strange way, allows us to return to our prior, more comfortable life and familiar image of ourselves. People tend to be the happiest and most comfortable with what they expect and are used to in life.

Perhaps this is why oftentimes extremely poor people who suddenly win a huge amount of money from the lottery will just as quickly lose it. Despite winning so much money, they did not honestly feel comfortable living in this new reality of being unusually rich. Consequently, they slowly began to lose everything that they had gained simply to return to the life that they were more comfortable with and used to. In order to get something better than what you have now, you will have to make an effort to become much more than what you currently feel and imagine yourself to be.

 

Life is a giant mirror that reflects
how we value and see ourselves.

 

Whatever views, opinions, and contributions that we have given to the world is essentially what will be given back to us in some way. The value that we place upon our own sense of self-worth sets the standard for the quality of life that we think we should have, honestly deserve, and ultimately achieve. We won't settle or be satisfied with a life below what we realistically think we can achieve. Furthermore, we won't get very much more in life than what we feel we honestly deserve, think is right, or is in harmony with who we really are. We can only open up and receive from the bounty of life to the degree that we realistically think is possible, fair, and true to the kind of person that we honestly believe ourselves to be. 

If you want to live a better life than now, then raise the current standards and image that you have for yourself. Change doesn't come from the outside in. Change of any significance always comes from the inside out.

 

If you want to receive more from life, first you have to become more in life,
and then contribute more to life in a way that is true to who you are.

 

Focus on your goal with clarity.

Clearly imagine what you want with as much detail as possible. You should be very specific about what you want, but very flexible and open in how you will receive it.

 

Here are some ways to add mental power and clarity to your wish:

Imagine not only seeing, but actually experiencing and receiving what you want from the perspective of yourself as the receiver rather than simply as a non-related, distant observer. Most people after some practice can clearly and easily imagine the actual object or experience that they would like to have come into their life. Unfortunately, novices in visualization make the mistake of stopping at this initial stage of awe and admiration related only to the image. They don't strongly connect or personally relate to this wonderful image in any sort of passionate or intimate way. This is similar to looking at a beautiful picture such as the Mona Lisa from a distance but never mentally or emotionally getting to the stage of actually thinking or believing that you can have a personal conversation with this mysterious lady, or take this beautiful painting back to your home. (NOTE: Please don't try this! There are serious legal consequences if you do! )  

What I am suggesting is to strive to personally experience and "bring home" your own dreams and wishes that you specifically visualize in your mind. Even more important than simply seeing and admiring some beautiful image from a distance is to personally and emotionally place yourself within that mental picture and imagine bringing this thing into your life. Visualize yourself as the actual overjoyed and grateful receiver of that desired object or experience rather than just as a wishful admirer or distant fan. This one little point could make all the difference between just seeing something in an imaginary way and experiencing something in a very real way later on.

 

• Imagine how this thing would feel, smell, taste, etc. Involve as many senses as possible. Instead of just looking at some mental picture, re-create the sensory perceptions and experiences as vividly as you can within your mind. Physical sensations ultimately arise from the energetic impulses that are received and processed within the brain. Not only can we receive feelings and sensations from the outside, but we can create very real feelings and sensations from the inside as well (as demonstrated by the lemon example given above). This is quite incredible when you really think about it. We can create a very real image, feeling or sensation simply from a mysterious, invisible thought.  Science still cannot fully explain exactly how this happens.

 

• Imagine what your friends, relatives, or people that you highly respect would say and how they would react if they were to see you with whatever it is that you have visualized. Oftentimes, we can’t get or achieve something because we might be overly concerned that our family or friends might disapprove. This belief will subconsciously block us from attaining or achieving our goal. If such a disempowering belief exists, seriously consider the question “Who are you really living your life for, your family, your friends, or yourself?” I believe that the answer to this question is to truly live the life you really want while taking care not to harm others; and to also positively contribute to both yourself and other people in some way. As they say in the business world, this is the best win/win situation of them all.

 

• Imagine the happy, satisfying feeling of getting what you really want. Become excited and wildly passionate about your goal. The intensity and quality of the feelings that we can link to our goals will cause us to either take bold action and enjoy challenges and risks, or simply wait in fearful hesitation and do nothing at all. Thoughts and planning are nice, but feelings and emotions that lead to taking action and getting results are far more powerful when attempting to bring new things into your life.

 

• Draw or write a very detailed picture or story about what you would like to have or experience. The very act of focusing your mental energy in a creative activity of some type has produced some incredible and sometimes unexplainable results for many people over the years. I know of a person who actually drew and created a short comic book strip where he was the main character doing and receiving everything that he wanted to do and receive in real life. About 70% of the things that he imagined and drew in comic book form later manifested into his life and became true! Stories like this make you realize the importance of being careful about what you think, do, or say. You never know how these thoughts might just creatively manifest into your life!  There is some powerful truth to that well-known phrase "Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it!" 

 

• Create a dream board. The most important point of such boards is that they have specific words, feelings or images related to your goal that are emotionally exciting, inspiring and energizing for you! (I will be writing more about how I personally make dream boards in future blogs and home study courses that will be coming out soon!)

 

• Set up little props around your house that can encourage and remind you of the goals that you have set for yourself. For example, if you want to get a dog, or perhaps just have the perfect pet somehow appear in your life, place an empty food bowl in the kitchen, or maybe buy a walking leash and hang it on your doorknob, or in a place where you can frequently see it everyday. All these little physical hints and cues will set up stronger and stronger intentions and expectations in your mind that whatever you want will soon come or become more easily available to you. It is from a heart of positive expectation and confident knowingness that visualization seems to work the best.

 

• Take a photo, or find an image on the Internet of the thing that you want, and place it in a conspicuous place where you will see it often every day.  With a little practice, most people can visualize almost anything that they want on the invisible screen of their mind. It really does help, however, to have some sort of concrete visual references as well.  In my experience, mixing mental images along with actual visible pictures of some type has seemed to work the best for me.

 

• If possible, physically place yourself near or in the thing or situation that you are wishing for yourself. For example, if you want to live in a beautiful house, then go out and actually look at some specific homes that are up for sale that you could imagine yourself living in. Take some real action directed towards whatever dream you might have, even if your rational mind might be battling with you and trying to convince you that this particular dream is beyond your present reach. You never know until you try. Doubting and worrying will distance you from your dreams. Positively imagining, planning, and confidently expecting will move you much closer towards more quickly achieving your goal.  

 

Make your visualizations as real as possible and imagine having these things now - in the present moment. Follow the advice that many prosperity teachers often give, "Fake it until you make it!" If you can see it and believe it from within, you can eventually receive and achieve it in the outer world. Creating the mental image is important, but the physical actions and underlying emotional feelings and energy connected to this visualization process are key!  

 

 

Waiting Period

 

So, you have carefully considered what you want, and even more importantly why you want it. You have methodically focused and visualized upon this wish with as much detail and emotional energy as possible. Perhaps you have even taken some extra steps, such as making dream boards, drawing pictures, writing stories, setting up little props around your house, or even taking some type of preparatory action in confident expectation of soon receiving whatever it is that you are visualizing for.

Now comes the next stage in this process, the waiting period. I believe there are some key things that you should do during this equally important stage of the visualization process:

 

Review and repeat practicing your visualization exercises on a daily basis.

You don’t have to do these exercises for a long time. 5-10 minutes a day is fine. In fact, trying to visualize too much might be counter-productive, as you risk falling into a mindset of neediness and desperation, which is definitely a mindset that you don’t want to have. I personally set aside around 5-10 minutes every morning for short visualization sessions. If you like, you could even incorporate this practice into your morning routine and daily practice (which I will be writing about in more detail in future blogs). Having a clear, concise image of what you want will allow you to notice, target, and constructively act on things in the real world that will bring you closer to your dreams.

 

Feel more from the heart and think less from the head. 

Imagine and focus upon the GOOD FEELINGS that you will have once you have received or achieved whatever you want. Bring those feelings into the present moment, rather than just analytically think about your goal in a distant, unemotional, intellectual way. Focusing powerful emotions towards your goal can get your creative energies flowing in an almost magical way.  Purposefully directing your feelings and attention will allow you to not only think in better and more inspired ways, but also attract favorable situations and people to naturally come into your life. Like energy attracts like energy.  People with similar interests, energies and expectations in life tend to come together in sometimes unexplainable ways.

 

Trust in other people and the world; and expect something wonderful is going to happen soon.

When mentally reviewing your dreams, create within yourself a real sense of expectation of success that whatever you desire will soon come to you.  Perhaps your hopes will not appear in the way that you originally imagined, but nonetheless, if your dreams are in harmony with who you really are, they will eventually come to you. The trick is to feel like you have whatever it is that you desire right now, and then not just simply wait, but take some real steps to prepare for its arrival.

 

Here is how I used this idea of positive expectation to bring something quite useful into my life a few years ago:

I wanted a specific brand and type of laptop computer. I was thinking about buying it and had done a lot of research on the Internet. I knew a little about the process of visualization at that time, so I decided just for fun to try it out and see what might possibly result. 

After knowing specifically what computer I wanted to buy, I went out in hopeful antcipation and bought some accessories for it, such as a carrying case and a mouse pad. I took some action in expectation of achieving my greater goal of getting that specific type of laptop computer. After thinking about and looking at some pictures of that computer for about 3 weeks, something quite interesting happened.

 

I was working in my office in Japan at the time. A somewhat frazzled young man quickly came in, looked around my small office, and then realized that he had made a mistake. I saw him, and noticed how tired, frantic and upset he was. I didn’t know this guy, but just felt compelled to try to calm him down with a few comforting words. “Is everything O.K?” I asked out of concern. He looked at me, paused, took a breath and smiled back, saying “Yes, I was just looking for the place where the I.T. (information technology) meeting is going to be held today. I replied “Well, it certainly is not here. I am the last person to give any advice about computers.” Then we continued to talk for a while, and things just seemed to naturally click. As it turns out, this gentleman buys computers and helps to set up networks for various companies, including ours. Once I heard this, some little lights started flashing in my head. “Oh, really?” I said, “That is interesting. It just so happens that I am thinking about buying this particular brand and type of computer. Do you know if they are any good?” The man looked at me, and curiously laughed. He then proceeded to tell me that he had just bought a whole bunch of those type of computers for another company that he advises and works for.  He then further went on to say that he still had 2 extra computers left over that he was looking to quickly sell before the newer versions of the same computer come out in a few months!! To make a long story short, he offered to sell me one of those computers, still in an unopened package for around a 40% discount from the retail price, with all of the original warranties still in place! Of course I couldn't refuse and immediately grabbed it up.

 

So, there you have it. I got a brand new computer that I specifically wanted at a huge discount - and I also made a new friend. I could never have imagined how that story was going to play out; and I didn’t concern myself with the “how’s” or “why’s” during my visualization sessions at the time. I have learned that in order to succeed with visualization, a confident trust in other people, the world, and in this entire visualization process are all that is really necessary for most visualizations to eventually line up in place and work out.

I am sure that we all have these sorts of stories. Perhaps the events that I just described happened by chance, but I am inclined to think not, especially when certain unique opportunities and strange coincidences like these start to repeat themselves again and again. The key is to vividly and clearly decide what you want, take some sort of positive action to prepare for it, and then create a confident sense of trust and expectation in your mind that whatever you have hoped for is now on the way.

 

Look for the pieces of the puzzle to start falling together. Go with the flow and just know.

For many of your more complicated visualizations to appear in your life, there is going to be a series of stages and steps that will be required to take place over longer periods of time. Usually, it is not as easy as the example that I just gave above, where somebody literally walks into your room and practically gives you what you want. Oftentimes, your dream will start to gradually unfold in front of you in little stages, step by step. My advice here would be to just “go with the flow.” If you are visualizing something, and suddenly a stranger just comes up to you for no apparent reason and starts to talk about a topic that is related to your wish or goal, don’t be too surprised, and just go with the energy of the moment. It is almost impossible to imagine or precisely predict how your visualization will eventually unfold. Don't concern yourself too much with how all of these pieces will, in time, fall into place. Nature, in her divine wisdom, can always find a way of working things out. Clearly and wholeheartedly visualizing the final goal and result in advance is ultimately the most important first step. 

In the beginning stages of this process, after you have decided upon your goal, focus and try to become more aware of the little hints and cues that life will start presenting and laying down in front of you. Think about what you see happening, and then follow your feelings. Go with the flow of life in that moment and let your inner voice be your guide. I cannot honestly say that I fully understand why many of these things happen in the ways that they do. I just accept and believe that there will be a way, and then usually a way will begin to open up and unfold.

 

TAKE ACTION and connect to other people!!! 

This is probably the most important step. The process of visualization does not mean that a person can simply dream and visualize from their bed, and then one day their wish will fall on their head. Visualization is kind of like stacking a deck of playing cards in your favor, but in order for you to win, you will still have to play the game. You are going to have to actually go out into the world and take action, or at the very least, put yourself in a situation or location where you are more likely to meet other people who can help you to achieve your goals and dreams.

Visualization does not mean that you will be able to avoid all work and lazily relax in a foggy dreamland. You are still going to have to take some real action but maybe not have to work quite as hard. I have found that not only taking action, but also placing yourself in advantageous situations where you will have greater opportunities to meet and talk to other potentially helpful people is also equally important. Almost all of my visualization success stories have involved my meeting of either friends or total strangers who have somehow served as a vital, connective link to what I was looking to get or achieve. Take real, concrete action towards working on your goal, and frequently put yourself in situations where you can come in contact with other people who can help you achieve your dream as well. Combining these ideas along with daily visualization has often worked almost unexplainable wonders for me.

 

Don’t be anxious, desperate or needy. Appreciate and have confidence in the ways and wisdom of Life.

You should visualize what you want and then calmly wait for the various pieces of the puzzle to uniquely and perfectly fall into place. If something was meant to be then it will come to pass, perhaps in a way that we could not expect or see. Patiently watch what is happening from a heart of knowing and calm confidence, but definitely not from a heart of anxiety, impatience, desperation or fear.  Real physical work and preparation of some kind will still be necessary, but dream, work and prepare from a heart of confidence and courage, and not from doubt or fear. Frantic worrying, sweating, and even subtly doubting should be avoided at all costs.  Such feelings will tell your deeper self and outside world that you really don’t believe that your imagined future will arrive. Once such disempowering feelings set in, the whole natural energy and flow of this process shuts down and stops. Visualize what you want, and confidently continue to move towards your goal; but also occasionally take some time to simply step back, relax, and enjoy the whole beauty and magnificence of this incredible process as it begins to unfold.

 

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."  

~ Henry David Thoreau

 

Keep quiet, speak less, and do more.

As a general rule, it is better to not talk about what you are doing with other people until after you have achieved or accomplished your goal. This might seem counterintuitive, but the reason is very simple. You will want to focus the majority of your time and energy on working closer towards your goal. Having to repeatedly explain, convince, justify, or perhaps even defend your opinions or actions is not the best way for you to use your time. Once you have truly decided and set your heart and mind on what you would like to do, you should not risk letting anybody or anything distract or discourage you from your dreams.

Obviously, there is an important exception to this general rule of silence. You should always make an asserted effort to talk and network with those who could perhaps help or support you in some greater way, or are either directly or indirectly related to what you would like to achieve. Don’t waste your precious time and energy, however, on wishfully talking, bragging, or mindlessly daydreaming about your goals with just anybody simply to be talking without anything to gain. This is not being anti-social, selfish or cold, but just being carefully selective and efficient on the road towards achieving greater things.

The time will eventually come when you can tell the whole world about what you have done, (as I have done in this blog, mainly for the sake of giving some helpful, concrete techniques and examples that might benefit other people in some way.)  

First, you will have to actually achieve something worthwhile – and then you can celebrate and humbly talk about it later!

A caterpillar doesn't discuss its future dream of flight while still in a dark cocoon.  It saves its precious resources and energies during this stage to singularly focus on one goal - to one day be able to actually fly to higher places than it could have ever gone before. 

 

Keep records of your visualizations, procedures, and results.

Keeping a diary can help us to record and remember our achievements, and hopefully learn from our mistakes. We have all probably had a few very interesting experiences and incredibly timely coincidences that we just couldn’t explain or simply write off as pure luck. We all use the power of visualization to a greater or lesser degree, sometimes without even being aware of what exactly we did. By keeping a record of our visualization successes and failures, we can better learn from history on how to improve and refine our technique even more.

Secondly, keeping a record of our successes builds up our confidence in trying to do and accomplish even greater things in the future. Confidence, faith and belief are the key components that can help push us further in life.

 

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe."

~ Saint Augustine

  

 

Why Visualization Works

 

The subconscious can’t clearly differentiate between what is real from what is imaginary, or what is true from what is false. This was amusingly illustrated in the suggestive lemon example given above. After reading a few descriptive sentences about tangy, juicy lemons, the reader could easily re-create a very real image and mouth-watering sensation of tasting an actual lemon simply through the creative powers of their mind. Visualization done correctly can make almost anything, including your goals and dreams, seem quite real and attainable in your current moment of “reality” when repeatedly done with the right clarity, emotionality, intention, and focus. The only limits to our power of visualization are what we imagine and believe them to be. If it can become real enough on the inside, it can easily become real on the outside.

 

Visualization re-focuses the mind to lock in on our goals. Do you ever notice that if you get a new red sports car for example, that suddenly it seems like there are hundreds of people on the road who are also driving that exact same red sports car. The reality is that the number of red sports cars has not increased. The difference is in how you currently focus, think about, and interpret the world. Most likely in the past, you never noticed all those red sports cars until you actually got a red sports car for yourself. The world didn’t change, but your internal focus and sense of priorities did. 

Through visualization, we can re-focus our powers of concentration and observation to discover those key, important things that can greatly enhance our lives. Once we can clarify and re-focus our mind, we will then be able to see life situations in more advantageous ways. Seeing in better ways will allow us to live in better ways. In the end, we only see what we want to see and focus most of our time and energy on.

 

I believe that all people have a greater intuitive power and higher sense of things if they choose to tune into life in this way. Most people, unless they are distracted, mentally overloaded, or under much stress can pick up on certain feelings and generally sense what is on another person's mind. The process of visualizing sends out an energy and intention that other people and "life" in all its various forms can sense and react to in some pretty amazing ways. Anybody who lovingly works with animals or plants, for example, can easily understand and attest to the fact that there is something energetically deep and incredible that is continually going on. Even water, as shown in these experiments, seems to be a living, highly sensitive thing.

We all live in an energetic "soup" of sorts, where everybody and everything is connected to everything else in some way. This is why sometimes that perfect person, situation, or even material thing will suddenly and sometimes mysteriously just appear. This sort of experience is quite incredible, and not yet fully understood. But for anybody with a little life experience and some basic sensitivity, you know that this phenomenon nonetheless exists. We all probably have a story or two where the perfect person or thing just mysteriously appeared to us at the exact time when we needed it most.

That perfect book that completely answers a pressing question that you have been recently thinking about "accidentally" falls out of a bookshelf right in front of you. A total stranger who can help you in some uncommon, specific way suddenly sits down next to you and starts talking in a very odd but understanding and familiar way. You think about a friend, whom you haven't seen in years, only to have that person moments later call you simply because they wanted to say hello. A mother for no obvious reason suddenly feels that her child needs help, and later, unfortunately but thankfully finds out that she was right. Some people might say that all of these happenings were mere coincidences, but after personally experiencing so many of these strange events as well, I am inclined to think that there is something much more to this than just lucky timing or random luck.

 

Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, who coined the term "synchronicity," as well as many other scientists and mystic writers, has written much about this strange phenomenon that we often jokingly call "a lining up of the stars." As with everything else in any of my blogs, I will leave the truth or falsity of this concept up to you. I personally believe in the scientific method that can prove things through consistent, repeatable results. I do not, however, simply discredit something as being totally false or impossible simply because I don't fully understand the nature of what I am seeing or experiencing at the time. People from long ago who said that the earth couldn't possibly be round, or that going to the moon was insane might have been guilty of making a similar mistake - to assume that just because we can't fully understand or explain certain things, that it automatically must be sheer nonsense and simply not true. In the end, I would humbly advise everybody, including myself, to at least keep a somewhat open mind when contemplating such things. 

 

 

 

Learn to become comfortable
with unanswerable questions
and life mysteries.

 

How can we create and mentally "see" three dimensional images inside our head?

How can we imagine specific colors, tastes, fragrances, textures, sounds, and even compose and hear music based solely upon mental thoughts?

How can we explain the mysterious nature and strange findings of the quantum double slit experiment, remote viewing, psychic phenomenon, or the placebo effect?

 

We all might have our own theories and ideas as to how or why these phenomena exist, but nobody knows for sure. There are far more things that we still don't know than what we claim to presently understand. We don't even have a full understanding of the nature of electricity, let alone an agreed upon definition of time or space. Fortunately for us it is not necessary to be a quantum physicist or enlightened spiritual mystic to benefit from the power of visualization. We don’t have to clearly understand why visualization seems to work, but just accept the fact that it apparently does. As Shakespeare said, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Rather than continually wrestle within our mind whether visualization is real or not, why not just try it for yourself and see what results you might get. The only limits concerning visualization may be what you dare to create and believe in your mind.

 

 

Personal Visualization Example

 

I would like to describe within the framework of the stages of visualization that I discussed above how I successfully visualized and got a sofa, 2 matching armchairs, and a coffee table ... for free!

 

Clear your mind.

I was relaxed and had a very calm and clear head at the time. Repeatedly practicing my morning rituals helped me to start out my day in a state of confidence, love, and peace; and, as best as I could, remain in that strong state of centeredness throughout the entire day. Here is an important point to remember: Visualization and meditation sessions are not the only times during the day to practice being inwardly focused, grateful, and calm. This inner state of deep contentment and peace should become deeply internalized, part of a new lifestyle, and remain as a core foundation of a person throughout their entire day ... and life. 

 

With life being the way that it is, however, I fully understand that this is far easier said than done! It is precisely during those stormy and challenging times in our lives that remaining in that calm center, or "quiet eye of the storm" will allow us greater vision, perspective, and peace. In the near future, I plan on writing a blog that describes exactly what I do during my morning ritual, as well as the importance of practicing and working on yourself a little bit every day to maintain that solid, assured, loving state. It is from such a mindset, combined with focused, real action that wonderful things can soon begin to happen and appear in your life! 

 

Align your dream with your true self.

I imagined getting a sofa set and coffee table, and made sure that receiving such things would not violate any of my core values or deep beliefs. The idea of actually receiving these things didn’t bother or feel strange to me in any way. I didn’t have any conflicts or negative blocks within my heart. What I wanted felt honest, good, and and most importantly, in true alignment with who I am. If I had thought that receiving these things was not natural or felt uncomfortable in any way, then this mindset would have most likely interfered with the whole process of visualization from the start. In order to receive something more, it is necessary to freely and willingly open up your mind to the same degree.

 

Focus on your goal with clarity.

I was very, very clear on what I wanted. I like antique furniture, and simply looked on the Internet for a picture of the sofa set and table that closely matched what I envisioned I would eventually get. At the time, I had absolutely no idea how surprisingly close the sofa set and table that I eventually got would match my original target picture. At the end of this blog are some pictures of how all of this finally turned out. 

  

 

Waiting Period

 

Review and repeat practicing your visualization exercises on a daily basis.

 I have a short 5 minute visualization time that I incorporate into my daily morning routine (which I will introduce and expand upon in future blogs and home study courses). I look at pictures, or read short stories that I have written, describing in great detail the various things that I would like to do, be, or have. In the case of this sofa set and table, I had been looking at my target picture daily for just a little over 3 months before it appeared in the way that it did. You have to be patient. The timing of the delivery or fulfilment of these wishes will vary, depending on the perceived value, difficulty, and “distance of believability” that you have in relationship to the object or experience that you are hoping for and visualizing at the time. Additionally, it is important to become aware of where you are developmentally in your openness to receive, and in your actual readiness to allow these things to realistically come into your life. In other words, these desired experiences and things will come, manifest, and unfold only when the person is actually ready to receive them, and no earlier. To be perfectly honest, there are some things that I am still visualizing and hoping to bring into my life even after 4 years of daily visualization! These are some of my bigger dreams and larger goals that probably just need more time to develop and grow – and I also probably need more time to develop and grow myself personally in order to be truly ready to properly handle and manage such things. Visualization is not always a perfect process for me, but I am not overly frustrated or concerned by this. This whole process of visualization is quite fascinating, and worthy of deeper, more formalized study, even if it is only successful (at least for me) around 50%-60% of the time. I think life would be too easy and devoid of growth if visualization was perfect 100% of the time. We learn so much more from our struggles, disappointments, and mistakes than simply from experiencing constant, easy successes and living a life of ease.

 

Feel more from the heart and think less from the head.

During my visualization sessions, when I read about my goals or look at my target pictures, I try to focus mainly on feeling and experiencing these things in both a physical and emotional way. While mentally visualizing and contemplating the details of the image are important, the feelings and emotions that you have related to these images is the real life energy that will help bring these things into your life. In other words, visualization doesn't seem to work very well if there is not a genuine passion, sense of joy, and bubbly excitement related to this process as well.

In my particular case, I didn’t just focus primarily on the visual details of the sofa set and coffee table that I wanted. Instead, I imagined actually sitting on the sofa and feeling the soft, cozy cushions pressing up against my back. I tried to create within my body and mind the feelings of joy and happiness in talking with my friends while using that elegant wooden coffee table and plush sofa set that I focused upon with thankfulness in advance before these things actually came. Feeling gratitude for what you have now will set up good vibrations and open your heart for receiving even greater things later on. Gratitude and joy are important components of visualization.

 

Trust in other people and the world; and expect something wonderful is going to happen soon.

This was a difficult step in this process and easier said than done, as it involved believing in, getting excited about, and having blind faith in something that I couldn't presently see. At first, a long time ago, I thought visualization was just some fanciful, wishful game; but after experiencing a few unexplainable successes over time, I eventually shifted my way of thinking from partial doubt to full faith and belief in this process. I discovered that in order to trust and believe more in the power of Life, I would first have to trust and believe more strongly in myself. The good news is that the more successful you become with visualization and manifestation, the easier it becomes. This is so because your powers of confidence, faith, and belief will slowly build up like a positive snowball over time after you have experienced a few of these amazing things. For those of you who can trust and believe in this somewhat mysterious process before you actually see the results, the power of visualization and manifestation can and will greatly increase. We can only receive to the degree that we believe.

 

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

~ John 20:26-29

 

Look for the pieces of the puzzle to start falling together. Go with the flow and just know.

In this case, I couldn’t logically see at all how I was going to get a sofa, two matching chairs, and a coffee table to be honest! I was thinking, "maybe I might see that combination of antique furniture in a store one day, and perhaps be able to buy the entire set at a discount if I was lucky." The only thing I clearly saw at the time was the picture of the sofa set that I continued to look at, think about, and “feel” in my mind. I had a blindly confident (some might call it foolhardy) attitude that all of this stuff had just not arrived yet, but was definitely on the way. This whole process was kind of like ordering some food at a restaurant, and then just patiently waiting for it to arrive. You don’t immediately get your food after you order, but you know and have confidence that the food will eventually come. This sort of certainty and faith is difficult to develop, but very helpful in visualization once you believe and become more enlightened and aware. Some people might think that this is simply fooling yourself. I would argue that this process requires having more faith and belief in your own, magnificent self, as well as in the Power of Life. 

 

TAKE ACTION and connect to other people!!!

So here is what actually happened. Once a month in the neighborhood where I live, there is a special day where people put out large things such as old furniture, broken appliances, busted bicycles, etc. to be picked up and taken away to the local garbage dump or recycle center. I had a few cracked ceramic tiles, and some old, rolled-up carpets that I wanted to dispose of. As I was taking them down to the designated trash area in my apartment complex, I saw this man and his wife carrying what looked like a brand new sofa !? I looked closer, and my heart skipped a beat. It almost felt like time had stopped and I was slowly floating around in a strange dream. As you might have guessed, this sofa looked almost identical to the picture of the sofa that I had downloaded from the Internet and was concentrating on for the past couple of months. I started to laugh at myself thinking this whole scene was not actually real. Nonetheless, I asked the man, still in partial disbelief, if he was really going to throw out such a nice piece of furniture. He said, “Yes, unfortunately … even though this is practically new. I bought it about 4 months ago, but I recently got a job transfer and will soon have to move and relocate to my company’s other office (about 250 miles or 400 kilometres away), and I just don’t have enough room in the moving van to take it with me. I’ll probably just buy another one once I settle down in my new place.” At this point I was smiling inside, and realized that for this man, money was not one of his major concerns in life. I told him that I was looking for a sofa, and somewhat embarrassingly asked if I could have it. He said, “Sure, I would feel much better giving it to somebody rather than just throwing it away.” After hearing this, I replied, “That is so kind of you! Can I give you a little money or something for it?” He replied “No, no, no ... I feel so lucky to have gotten this promotion …. Don’t worry. Go ahead. Its yours!" (This man obviously understood the full meaning and implication of “What comes around, goes around.” He was implying that because he received something nice (his promotion), he should also do or give something nice (the sofa) in return.) What he said next surprised me even more. You can probably guess what it was...

 

“I also have two matching chairs and a wooden coffee table. Do you need any of these things?”

 

“Gee … Thanks!” I could barely speak or get the words out, as I was starting to happily choke up just witnessing what was unfolding right before my eyes.

 

I knew something very special had just happened, and I also knew that I had to, in some way, give something back. He wouldn’t accept money, so I just offered to help him to move and carry some of his other heavy stuff later on - which I did.

 

If you get something of this scale, you should really make it a point to try to give something back in return, help out, or repay in some way in order to keep a somewhat balanced "cosmic account.” It is just the right and correct thing to do. I think to put it simply, we should give whatever it is that we later want to get back in return, be it some kindness, perhaps money, or most importantly love. This man was probably a very successful person in all aspects of his life. You could just tell by his pure, unconditional willingness to give; and his probably just as sincere ability to fairly accept and receive many things in return. That is one of the biggest secrets to a happy and prosperous life - to be easily willing to generously give as well as gratefully receive.

  

Don’t be anxious, desperate or needy. Appreciate and have confidence in the ways and wisdom of Life.

I was not worried if, when, or how I was going to get all these things. In fact, I just thought about them in a confident, but relaxed, almost humorous way for a few minutes every morning. After that, I just went about enjoying the rest of my day. That is another point I would like to emphasize in this process - have fun and don't take these practices too seriously, or become overly needy or dependent simply on results. Approaching these visualizations with that fun, carefree, child-like energy is probably one of the most important things that you can do. If you excessively demand or worry about outcomes or results, you are also sending a deeper message that you really don’t honestly believe or have faith in yourself or in the powers of this magnificent system of Life. Trying to pressure, hurry-up, and force an issue sometimes just creates greater inner doubts, walls, and distance from your dreams. As the Beatles said, “Speaking words of wisdom, let it be, let it be.” Enjoy and have fun with this process, but don’t become too analytical or skeptical, or remain primarily focused merely on evidence and results.

 

Keep quiet, speak less and do more.

I usually don’t share or talk about most of my dreams and goals with others until after I have accomplished them for the reasons that I have explained at the beginning of this blog. I didn’t discuss with anybody what I was doing in regards to getting that sofa set, except for perhaps my naughty little cat! You don't want to risk having your dreams instantly shot down by skeptics, disbelievers, or overly "practical" people. Some exceptions to this general rule are if you seriously lack self-confidence, sufficient faith, self-discipline, or strong, personal willpower. In such cases, having somebody to initially keep reminding and pushing you might be temporarily helpful for getting you started in a new and better direction - such as in dieting, getting something done, or in freeing yourself forever from some type of self-destructive or deadly addiction.  (Alcoholics Anonymous, for example, encourages having a sponsor to be on call, if necessary, to lend a helping hand.)  In such cases, building up an individual's willpower, self-image, and creating a brighter, better vision of the future are usually the primary issues that should be initially addressed. Ultimately, however, continually relying on others to keep pushing and encouraging you from the outside is not going to be beneficial for you in the long-term. You will constantly run the risk of returning to the old habits or challenges that you had in the past if your coach, teacher or helpful friend suddenly is not there to help and support you anymore. Becoming your own greatest source of hope, determination, confidence, and willpower is ultimately going to be what most greatly benefits and empowers you over time. Building your life quietly from within will lead you to your greatest satisfaction, power, and peace. Once you have discovered this unique greatness within you, you will be in a far better position to contribute much more to society, help other people, and achieve greater things in life.

 

Keep records of your visualizations, procedures, and results.

I have kept my target picture of the sofa set and table that I downloaded from the internet and used during my morning visualizations. I also took a picture of what eventually came to me later on. You should also become aware of and record what attitude and general emotions and feelings you had during your visualization times. The feelings and overall mindset held during your visualization sessions are, in my opinion, even more important than the clarity or accuracy of the event or thing that you are trying to visualize and bring into your life. In visualization, most people focus more on the details of the image rather than on their feelings and personal connection related to that image. Herein lies the mistake. Prioritizing feelings and relationships in all areas of life will lead not only to successful visualization sessions, but also towards living a wonderful, fulfilling life!

Recording your results is good for many reasons. First, you can more precisely analyze what techniques, feelings, and practices worked and what didn’t in your attempts at creative visualization. Second, and perhaps even more importantly is this: We will all at some point, for whatever reason, feel down and depressed from time to time, and stop believing in ourselves or in the wonderful magic that is inherent to life. It is precisely at these times when we should recall all of our positive experiences and personal success stories, no matter how trivial, strange, or unexplainable they might have been. Remembering and feeling grateful for all the good things that we have accomplished in the past will help us to get back up and stay on track towards living and creating a better future from today. See it. Believe it. Do it. Achieve it! This is the only formula for happiness and success that you will ever need.

 

 

 

My Target Picture

My Result

 

 

 

 

Summary of Basic Steps of Visualization

 

• Clear you mind.

• Align your dreams with your true self.

• Focus on your goal with clarity.

• Review and repeat practicing your visualization exercises on a daily basis.

• Feel more from the heart and think less from the head. 

• Trust in other people and the world; and expect something wonderful is going to happen soon.

• Look for the pieces of the puzzle to start falling together. Go with the flow and just know.

• TAKE ACTION and connect to other people!!!

• Don’t be anxious, desperate or needy. Appreciate and have confidence in the ways and wisdom of Life.

• Keep quiet, speak less and do more.

• Keep records of your visualizations, procedures, and results.

 

 

 

 

See it.  Believe it.  Do it.  Achieve it!